SCOTLAND TOP AND ENGLISH REGIONS BOTTOM FOR WINTER COMMUNITY SPIRIT.

SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

December 21, 2010.

SCOTLAND TOP AND ENGLISH REGIONS BOTTOM FOR WINTER COMMUNITY SPIRIT.

Elderly people living in Scotland are more than twice as likely to be offered bad weather help by neighbours than the UK average.

An independent survey of 11,760 people conducted by Populus for Saga, the lifestyle, financial services and travel organisation for over-50s, found that 22% were offered help during the December ice and snows by neighbours - compared to the nationwide average of 10%.

But only 4% of older people in the West Midlands said they’d been offered help, with the North West and East Anglia faring little better at 5%. London and the South West were on 7%, Wales 8%, Northern Ireland 9%, the South East 11%, the East Midlands 12%, the North East 14%, Yorkshire and Humber 16%.

The news comes as Saga launches its search for the best good neighbours in winter-battered Britain.

The survey also found that a quarter of over-75 respondents received help during the recent snowy and icy weather from their family (24%) and/or neighbours (25%). Community spirit was greatest in Scotland where 22% of all respondents (compared to 10% nationally) were helped by their neighbours. Only 1% of Saga panellists needed help - but didn’t receive any. Four out of five (80%) respondents weren’t offered help but felt that they really didn’t need any.

Icy pavements which prevent people from going out were the biggest problem for survey respondents (35%) when it is very snowy and icy; this is particularly true for the older respondent. The greatest concern for almost one in five Saga panellists (19%) is just keeping warm, given how high the heating bills are. Nevertheless, for those respondents who have not yet retired, the biggest problem is getting to work (47%).

Saga is launching a “Good Neighbour Roll of Honour” to demonstrate the positive effects the bad weather can have and how it is truly becoming a word for today as neighbours pull together in times of hardship.

“You don’t have to dive into a freezing river or try and stop a sliding vehicle to be considered a hero by your older neighbours”, said Emma Soames, Editor-at-Large of Saga Magazine.

“Saga wants to celebrate the good neighbours who are truly making a difference to the lives of older people this winter.

“It doesn’t take much; just offering to go out for groceries or providing a lift to get to appointments or a helping hand so they can go on with their normal lives is so important at this time of year and can make a massive difference to physical and mental wellbeing – for both the helped and the helper.

“We are asking people who are benefiting from the kindness of a good neighbour to let Saga know who they are and we will add their names to our Good Neighbours roll of honour which will be published on the Saga website.

“We only need to know their name - or indeed just their first or nickname and the town or location you and they live in. And then we'd like a short sentence on how they are making a difference in your area while the weather is making life tricky for us all.”

Nominations can be emailed to goodneighbour@saga.co.uk, or posted to: Press Team, Saga Building, Enbrook Park, Folkestone, Kent CT20 3SE

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

80% OF NORTH WEST BUSINESS OWNER MANAGERS HAVE HAD NO FINANCIAL HEALTH CHECK IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS.

HAINES WATTS

FINANCIAL SERVICES

MANCHESTER AND PRESTON

PRESS RELEASE

December 20, 2010.

80% OF NORTH WEST BUSINESS OWNER MANAGERS HAVE HAD NO FINANCIAL HEALTH CHECK IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS.

Video.

More than 80% of North West-based business owner-managers have had no sort of financial health check during the past year according to a financial planner based in the region.

Ann-Marie Banks, a senior financial planner with Haines Watts Financial Services, part of  UK top 20 chartered accountants Haines Watts, says that despite the past 18 months being amongst the volatile in economic history, only around a fifth of owner-managers in the North West have kept on top of personal finance issues.

“The markets dived, and then have recovered by around 20% in the past year, which means that owner-managers who have had advice, acted upon it and stayed alert to the economic situation have quite possibly seen as much as a 20% increase in their holdings – and that could make a huge difference when they come to cash in their pensions,” said Ann-Marie Banks, who is based in Manchester and Preston, with responsibility for clients of HW’s Liverpool, Ulverston and Hale offices. Video.

“The very sharpest business minds work with their financial planners, keep looking at their assets, assessing the risks and potential rewards, and take on board the changes in the market – and those people have come through the past 12 months or so with a stronger financial holdings base as a consequence.

“But it’s not too late: there’s still great volatility ahead, and advice and agility could see recovery for those who have not yet gone through a financial health check – and potentially greater gains for those who continue to do so.

“We obviously press our clients to take advice, and, while there’s a cost, it is outweighed in the long term by the benefits of applying that advice. But as we meet with more and more owner-managers outside of the Haines Watts client bank, we’re coming to the conclusion that around 80% of them have simply not had any sort of financial health check.

“For instance, it has been widely reported that simply putting money in a savings account at the moment is yielding a loss – but there are many more options available to help money grow.”

Haines Watts is a UK top 20 chartered accountancy firm specialising in the owner-managed sector, providing a broad range of services out of its 50 offices. The firm has 80 years experience and 30,000 clients.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.hwca.com

Photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pressrelations/5265365689/in/set-72157624275784545/

NEW LEASES OF WORKING LIFE FOR NEW LIFESAVERS JOHN AND ALAN.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

December 20, 2010.

NEW LEASES OF WORKING LIFE FOR NEW LIFESAVERS JOHN AND ALAN. 

Video of John. Video of Alan.

It’s all about new leases of life, and one of the South East’s leading NHS patient transport service providers is making double the contribution of most by employing retired people – and turning them into lifesavers.

Savoy Ventures Limited provides patient transport services for several South London and Kent hospitals, but as well as bringing in younger people embarking on their careers, the firm is also recruiting more and more retired folk.

“In this day and age, 60 is a very early age to retire – so we’re making a point of seeking out older people to join our team of passenger transport and care assistants, but we’re also finding a great number of them are demonstrating skills and attitude that means we’re also turning our second-life recruits into ambulance technicians – true lifesavers with occasional emergency and blue-light duties,” said Elle Dadswell of Savoy Ventures.

“Older people have fantastic life skills, which they don’t just pass on to their colleagues, but which can make a massive difference to the way patients respond and react during what can be quite traumatic times when being transferred between hospitals, for instance.”

Two such members of the team are John Hunt, 63, from Canterbury, and his crew partner Alan Butt, 61, from Dartford.

John came out of retirement after spending most of his working life as a bookseller, video, while Alan was a railway engineer, video, and now are each fully-fledged ambulance technicians working with several south London hospitals.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 200,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

DO YOU HAVE THE BEST NEIGHBOURS IN BRITAIN? IF SO, WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THEM.

SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

December 16, 2010.

DO YOU HAVE THE BEST NEIGHBOURS IN BRITAIN? IF SO, WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THEM.

The search is on for the best ‘good neighbour’ in winter-battered Britain.

Saga, the travel, lifestyle and financial services organisation for over-50s, is launching a “Good Neighbour Roll of Honour” to demonstrate the positive effects the bad weather can have and how it is truly becoming a word for today as neighbours pull together in times of hardship.

“It’s a long time since we’ve seen the sense of community tested to this degree.  David Cameron is talking about the ‘Big Society’, but across Britain communities have been pulling together and bringing the words to life with real heroism and support being shown by friends and neighbours,” said Emma Soames, Editor-at-Large of Saga Magazine. 

“You don’t have to dive into a freezing river or try and stop a sliding vehicle to be considered a hero by your older neighbours”, she says. 

“Saga wants to celebrate the good neighbours who are truly making a difference to the lives of older people this winter and throughout the festive season.

“It doesn’t take much; just offering to go out for groceries or providing a lift to get to appointments or a helping hand so they can go on with their normal lives is so important at this time of year and can make a massive difference to physical and mental wellbeing – for both the helped and the helper.

“We are asking people who are benefiting from the kindness of a good neighbour to let Saga know who they are and we will add their names to our Good Neighbours roll of honour which will be published on the Saga website.

“We only need to know their name - or indeed just their first or nickname and the town or location you and they live in. And then we'd like a short sentence on how they are making a difference in your area while the weather is making life tricky for us all.”

Nominations can be emailed to goodneighbour@saga.co.uk.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

OVER-50S UNEMPLOYMENT: WORRYING TREND SAYS DR ROS ALTMANN.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAGA

SAGA SOUNDBITE

December 15, 2010.

OVER-50S UNEMPLOYMENT: WORRYING TREND SAYS DR ROS ALTMANN.

Commenting on the today’s unemployment figures, Dr Ros Altmann, economist and Director General of Saga, said:

“If you drill into these figures there are some very worrying statistics for the over-50s, especially women - who will find it very difficult to get back into work.

“The figures tell a very bleak tale: if you’re over 50 and put out of work, then you’re going to be out of work for a very long time. But if the government is seriously thinking about raising the pension age, then it should be mindful that the unemployment rate for people over-50s is rising sharply – with long-term job prospects getting worse and worse. And women are suffering far more than men.

“There is an increase is those over-50s who are unemployed for a year or more of 42.6%, while those unemployed for two years or more is up 25.9%. Breaking that down into men and women – men unemployed for a year or more is up 35.7%, women up 65.5%, and for two years it is 17.6% and 53.7 % respectively.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

IGNORE CALLS FOR DELAY OF DEFAULT RETIREMENT AGE ABOLITION, SAYS ROS ALTMANN.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

December 13, 2010

IGNORE CALLS FOR DELAY OF DEFAULT RETIREMENT AGE ABOLITION, SAYS ROS ALTMANN.

Dr Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga, says calls by business leaders to delay the abolition of the Default Retirement Age should be ignored.

Dr Altmann said: “The Default Retirement Age Should have been abolished years ago.  The timetable must certainly not slip.  Ageism has no place in a modern labour market.  

“Of course it is more convenient for employers to be able to just sack someone for being 65, but that is not fair on the workers themselves.  It is also a huge waste of our national resources.  

“Employers must judge workers fairly. People are not old or 'past it' at 65 any more.  Of course some people are not fit to work, but that applies at much younger ages too and employers will have to adjust their attitudes and assess workers' skills objectively, not on the basis of old-fashioned prejudice.  Most people still have enormous amounts to offer employers.

“Longer working lives are an essential element of overcoming our pensions crisis. The first baby-boomers reach age 65 in 2011 and the demographics mean millions more following in coming years.  

“Their pensions have not worked out in the way they had expected, and they are still fit and healthy.  They would much rather stay on at work than be forced to retire.  If they are forced out of the labour market, they will end up poorer in retirement and that will impact the economy as a whole, as they will have less money to spend.

“Whether or not a worker is suitable for employment should be determined by their skill and ability, not their chronological age.  Employers must be obliged to assess workers' suitability for their jobs on an individual basis, not according to some arbitrary criteria that consigns older workers to a labour market scrapheap on which they do not belong.

“There is a whole new phase of life waiting for workers - a period of years when they work part-time, cutting down gradually rather than suddenly stopping altogether.  

“This is the way forward for employers and the sooner they wake up to the new realities, the better.  Retirement should be a process, not an event, with 'bonus years' of part-time work that allow workers to keep earning and employers to retain their skills.

“Flexible retirement and gradual change in work patterns, or perhaps use of older workers for mentoring, training younger workers in firm-specific skills, job-sharing and so on will all require careful handling, but would be of enormous benefit to employers, employees and society as a whole. Unless people keep working longer, we will all be poorer in future.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

NOTES
Saga carried out a survey of 14,178 people aged over 50.  85% thought that employees should have the right to a staged retirement.  Our recent research shows that 38% want to continue working past state pension age and more than a third of people who have already retired say they would prefer to be doing some paid work.

HR departments already, in many cases, understand the benefits of employing older workers.  Saga’s own assessment of older workers shows that their performance is not dependent on their age.  Also, employers have made flexible work available for women (for example after childbirth) and such policies can be extended to assist older workers stay in employment after their full-time careers and before full-time retirement

DR ROS ALTMANN COMMENTS ON AVIVA REAL RETIREMENT REPORT.

DR ROS ALTMANN


DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAGA

SAGA SOUNDBITE



December 8, 2010.

DR ROS ALTMANN COMMENTS ON AVIVA REAL RETIREMENT REPORT.

Dr Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga, said: “Let’s not force anybody to retire. Apparently a third of pensioners feel they were forced to do so, but all we’re doing as a society is creating a situation in which people who want to work – and could work out having to be financed by the taxpayer.

“People past traditional retirement age are in their ‘bonus years’ – not just for themselves, but for the economy. ‘Part-tirement’ is the answer.

“We need to find ways of helping older people stay at work part-time; not only does it save the country money, but it also means we’d keep skills and talents that take decades to build. The abolition of the Default Retirement Age cannot come soon enough – forcing people to retire is Dickensian.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.saga.co.uk

MCBAINS COOPER “BLUE LIGHT” TEAM, WORKING WITH NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE, SECURES PLANNING CONSENT FOR NEW POLICE STATION

MCBAINS COOPER


PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE



December 9, 2010.



MCBAINS COOPER “BLUE LIGHT” TEAM, WORKING WITH NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE, SECURES PLANNING CONSENT FOR NEW POLICE STATION



McBains Cooper, the international interdisciplinary property and construction consultancy, has designed a landmark Police Station in Yorkshire that will operate to the highest possible environmentally-sensitive standards.



Planning permission has been granted for the multi-million pound North Yorkshire Police Station on the outskirts of Harrogate. The new project will replace the existing 1930s building which would have taken half the cost of the new build to repair and maintain over the next ten years.



“The latest available technology and environmental features will be applied in the new Police Station. It will meet all Home Office guidelines, and is set to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ in terms of assessing the building’s environmental performance,” said Mark Baseby of McBains Cooper.



“We have also managed to turn a tight, sloping site, surrounded by protected mature trees, into a well-organised master plan. Locating the custody element of the building partly below ground and within the landscape has given the Police Authority a naturally secure environment in which to operate.”



North Yorkshire’s Chief Constable, Grahame Maxwell said: “This is not just an exciting project because it is something new and highly significant for the force, but because it is also clearly one of the most advanced Police Stations of its type which will benefit our communities for many years to come.”



Mark Baseby said: “The distinct architectural design treatments of the three entrances to the building – custodial, staff and public - form a significant part of the design approach and arrangement. Each entrance has a different look and feel and is located separately. A key element of the design brief was ‘civic dignity’, and this is achieved in what is a landmark building which sits on a very tight and complicated site.”



The 16-cell custody suite will be located in the stone “podium” base of the building, while office accommodation for 200 officers and staff will be in a predominantly glazed, two storey element above, making it an extremely pleasant working environment whilst at the same time, striking the right balance between openness and the required security considerations.



There will also be a two-storey car park, with the lower storey providing operational vehicle parking, vehicle maintenance and storage.



Michael Thirkettle, Chief Executive of McBains Cooper, said: “We have now been involved with the design and construction of several Police Headquarters and Operational Accommodation in the UK and have become internationally recognised for our expertise in this area. We have contracts for similar work as far away as Latin America where we have been engaged on a number of government-funded custodial and security-related construction projects.”





Ends



Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com



Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Lima (Peru) and Mexico City, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com

HOUSING UNITS PUTS KIDS WORLD ON THE MAP.

HOUSING UNITS

PRESS RELEASE

November 25, 2010.

HOUSING UNITS PUTS KIDS WORLD ON THE MAP.

Housing Units is to launch a new store in its north Manchester retail park on December 1, 2010.

Housing Units Kids World will stock clothes, footwear, toys and bedroom furniture for under-10s, slotting into the age bracket above its current Coo Chi Coo baby store on The Crescent.

“The time is right for investment, the niche is there, our customers want it, and we have the space to be able to develop something of this nature – and a likely demand to ensure solid footfall,” said Nick Fox of Housing Units.

“We’ve researched this market intensely, and have decided from the start that we’ll be stocking designer and premium brands and products - but a big influence is also the growing number of children who now have a say in the design and décor of their own rooms.

“The timing is obviously important; we’re gathering such a momentum and level of customer visits as Christmas approaches that we feel in a strong position to give Kids World a real kick start, and to be placed firmly on the map pretty quickly.”

Housing Units – known for its top-hatted doormen - was established in 1947. It is a family-owned furnishings retailer based in Wickentree Lane, Failsworth, Manchester M35 9BA, next to Junction 22 of the M60. It stocks 30,000 high-quality lines across a range of departments in two buildings and a crescent of specialist shops, and prides itself on its unique style of customer service, the value of its goods and the shopping experience it provides.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

0161 929 0446/07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.housingunits.co.uk

ACTIVE AT 60 FUNDING – SMALL BUT POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE LIFE-CHANGER.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

November 25, 2010.

ACTIVE AT 60 FUNDING – SMALL BUT POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE LIFE-CHANGER.

Community groups in 30 areas across the country are being invited to bid for a share of £1 million to help older people keep active and make the most of their later lives.

The Government is providing the cash to fund Active at 60, a project that will help older people who are at-risk of loneliness and social isolation.

Dr Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga, said: “We’re sensing a growing momentum and recognition – at long last – of the important part the older generations can play in the community, but also how important it is to provide them with the opportunity to get up and go,” said Dr Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga.

“This is a relatively small fund, but could be massively effective and should be welcomed as a significant potential life-changer. Many people approaching 60 could be as little as two-thirds of the way through their lives, and have a great deal to give – but also need a great deal too.

“Recent research says that because of the increase in incidences of family breakdown, the older generations have fewer close relatives to support and inspire them.

“But a key consideration here is that while this budget is relatively small, it could have a much wider impact – the more active and healthy older people are, the less likely they are to have to rely upon the state for social and health care.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

WORLD PIE EATING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010 – BEEF-YIELDING COWS SCRUTINISED FOR QUALITY.

WORLD PIE EATING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010

PRESS RELEASE

November 25, 2010.

WORLD PIE EATING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010 – BEEF-YIELDING COWS SCRUTINISED FOR QUALITY.

The 2010 World Pie Eating Championships will take place at pie noon on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 at Harry’s Bar, Wallgate, Wigan.

“We’re expecting this to be one of the biggest events in recent years because a free lunch goes down very well in what has been a difficult financial year,” said Tony Callaghan, owner of Harry’s Bar.

“We’re going to be particularly scrutineerinous of the quality of pies for this year’s event during the Official Pie selection process, because we wouldn’t want to think there’d be any cost-cutting in quality by the obscure use of pie meat from anything but the finest herds of beef-yielding cows from the majestic plains of the North West of England.

“We will be operating in the usual format with a Pie Noon pie-off, full teams of officials with up-to-the-minute timekeeping technology. We are considering bringing in international-football-style fifth and sixth officials to police the pie mouths at either end, and will also be using video technology if there is any dispute.”

The world record for downing an Official Pie stands at 35.86 seconds, but drugs tests – on the gravy: cough linctus has been used to avoid swallow-stall in recent years – saw last year’s winning time corrected into re-alignment with previous years at 45 seconds dead. The reigning champion is Barry Rugby, 37, from Wigan.

Whichever of the 2010 contenders consumes a regulation pie in the fastest time will be declared World Champion and wins a trophy and a free lunch. The cooked dimensions of the official pie are a diameter of 12cm and a depth of 3.5cm, and a pie wall angle from base to top of between zero and 15 degrees. Minimum content cube dimensions of the meat and potato mix are 1cm, and they must have 66% meat content not including pastry.

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

http://innthebar.blogspot.com/

PENSIONS CRISIS COULD ESCALATE INTO CARE CRISIS

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

November 23, 2010.

PENSIONS CRISIS COULD ESCALATE INTO CARE CRISIS.

The UK’s pensions crisis could well escalate into a care funding crisis unless the government gets to grips with the issue, says pensions expert Dr Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga.

Dr Altmann will be delivering a keynote speech for the launch of the Westminster Business School on Tuesday, 23 November, 2010, during which she will outline her vision of what must be done to combat the pensions’ crisis facing the UK.

Dr Altmann has often voiced her views on pensions, recently with reference to the impact of low interest rates on pensioners (video here) and how a pensions crisis could breed a care crisis (video here).

“I believe radical pension reform is needed and, because part of the solution must come from longer working lives, age discrimination must be tackled, with employees given more help to stay in work longer. Without dramatic intervention the time bomb will explode, leaving a generation at risk of poverty, without pension provision, and increasing pressure on services and benefits,” said Dr Altmann.

But Dr Altmann also warns that as the pensions crisis has not been tackled the UK could face an even greater financial catastrophe – in care funding.

Dr Altmann warns that the demographic dangers are upon us, with the first baby boomers reaching 65 in 2011. And they are a generation resistant to planning for the future but who live much longer than previous generations.

• Latest research reveals one third of over-50s have no pension provision
• Company schemes are being closed and people are finding they get little or no pension from many pension funds
• Measures coming from Brussels could increase the crisis with over-burdensome changes to investment backing for pension funds and annuities causing pension values to fall.

The coalition government is introducing the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) but Dr Altmann does not believe this is enough.

“We need radical state pension reform and social revolution to rethink our lives, with a re-evaluation of what 'retirement' should look like. Put simply, there needs to be more saving, and more working,” said Dr Altmann.

“So far the new government has expressed good intentions, now we need measures to back this up. As well as radical state pension reform there must be more help for the over-50s to stay in work - once they are out, they often stay out. In addition, HR departments need to be encouraged to manage their older labour force better after the ending of the Default Retirement Age. This means having sensible discussions with older workers about perhaps shifting to part-time work, assessing them on the basis of their ability to do the job, not their chronological age.”

Ends

Further information:

Paul V Green

Head of Communication
Saga Group Ltd
01303 776 023 (w)
07714 414 859 (m)
www.saga.co.uk.

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

To attend the reception, or for more information, please contact:

Stephanie Winteringham at Stephanie@communicationsmanagement.co.uk or on 01727 738 550.

Editors’ Notes

Dr Altmann, who was recently appointed as the Director General of Saga, the organisation representing the over-50s, has twice been named Pensions Personality of the Year. She led the successful Campaign for Pensions’ Justice on behalf of 140,000 people and their families who lost company pensions.

Westminster Business School is one of the largest business schools in the UK with more than 4,000 students and 350 staff, providing a full suite of services to a wide range of audiences including undergraduate and postgraduate level students, businesses, local government and other non-profit organisations (www.westminster.ac.uk/schools/business).

The school’s Centre for Finance and Financial Services (CFFS) carries out research into pension reforms, saving for retirement, the age of retirement; occupational pensions, women’s retirement-income planning decisions and the retirement behaviour of ethnic minority groups. The Centre is home to the Pension Investment Academy - a joint venture between Specialist Pension Services Limited (SPS) and Westminster Business School - and the Pensions Research Network, which draws together academics and their research to widen the field of knowledge within retirement, savings, pensions and ageing.

HAINES WATTS DRIVES DEFENSIVE COMPANIES INTO BUSINESS ATTACK.

HAINES WATTS

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

MANCHESTER AND PRESTON

PRESS RELEASE

November 25, 2010.

HAINES WATTS DRIVES DEFENSIVE COMPANIES INTO BUSINESS ATTACK.

North West owner managers have been so busy defending and protecting their businesses that many have taken their eye off the growth and development ball.

Manchester and Preston-based Haines Watts chartered accountants has responded by developing a series of seminars aimed at helping put businesses on the attack.

Called “Rise”, the seminars will cover key areas relating to the growth and development of owner-managed businesses. They’ll take place throughout January and February 2011.

David Fort of Haines Watts said: “Owner-managed businesses tell us the biggest challenge they face is achieving and sustaining business growth.

“Being an owner manager or managing director of your company can be a lonely place when trying to make that step change in your organisation.

“The people around you often don’t have the necessary knowledge, skills or experience to help you through this process. The seminar series is designed for people in just that position who are looking to grow their business.”

Consisting of six high-impact breakfast sessions that will provide focused information and cut through the woffle, elements include creating, retaining and extracting personal and family wealth in line with aspirations; sustaining growth against increasingly stiff competition in a changing market; leading the business in the right direction while reducing business and personal risks; recruiting, motivating and retaining the right people and exiting the wrong ones with low risk; establishing and maintaining effective and appropriate funding arrangements; providing the right operations and facilities to support the business without breaking the bank.

Key features of the events include access to experts in business growth acceleration, and are held in  a confidential environment in short sessions with practical not theoretical content in a discussion rather than lecturing environment.

Haines Watts is a UK top 20 chartered accountancy firm specialising in the owner-managed sector, providing a broad range of services out of its 50 offices. The firm has 80 years experience and 30,000 clients.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.hwca.com

http://www.hwca.com/offices/accountants-north-west.php

ROS ALTMANN: WELFARE REFORMS WILL BE DEVASTATING FOR OVER-50S.

ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

November 11, 2010.

SAGA WARNS GOVERNMENT THAT WELFARE REFORMS WILL BE DEVASTATING FOR MANY OVER 50s.
 
THEY ARE HAPPY TO WORK BUT CANNOT FIND JOBS.
 
RAISING THE STATE PENSION AGE, WHILE REMOVING WELFARE SUPPORT, RISKS PLUNGING OVER-50s INTO POVERTY.
 
AGE DISCRIMINATION IS HUGE BARRIER TO OVER-50s JOBSEEKERS

 
Today's announcements on welfare reform are heading in the right direction for many, however they do not reflect the special needs of the over 50s, says Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga.  

“Saga surveys consistently show that older people are keen to keep working, far more respondents now express the desire to work part-time in later life, in order to supplement inadequate pensions,” said Ros Altmann.  

“However, the labour market is not enabling this to happen.  At the same time, the Government is planning to remove the Pension Credit from the over-60s, as the age for Pension Credit receipt is set to rise in line with increases in women's state pension age.  Many of those in their early 60s will thus be forced to survive on much lower benefits, desperate to work but unable to find employment.”
 
Saga is warning the Government that this group will need special consideration when tackling welfare reform.  Most of the over -0s who have lost their jobs are anxious to get back to work, but they face significant age discrimination in the labour market and those who need part-time work often cannot find it.  
 
Once unemployed in their latter years, people find it far harder to re-enter employment than younger people.  To force such people onto benefits, when they do actually want to work, will be devastating for them.
 
Saga supports the Government's initiatives to reform the welfare system and to 'make work pay'.  However, it is not as simple as that and, especially for older jobseekers, the labour market simply is not working.
 
As millions of baby-boomers are set to enter their 60s in the next few years and as Government is drastically reducing the welfare support available to them, there is a serious risk that those who are desperate to work will be unable to find employment and will be consigned to the scrapheap far too early.
 
Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

NOTES
 
A recent Saga Survey show that one-in-five (19%) over 50s said they planned to continue working in their current job once they reach retirement age and 9% plan to continue working past retirement age but in a different job to currently.  A further 9% plan to do voluntary work when they retire.

For those planning to continue working, the desire to continue making money is the prime motivation – 61% cited this as one of their reasons for working after retirement age. Nearly as many, however, 59% said they wanted to keep their mind active and half admitted to simply enjoying working.

Populus received 13,040 responses from people aged 50 and over to its on-line poll for SAGA between 11th and 17th June 2010.

MICHAEL GOES FROM DOLE TO LIFESAVER IN WEEKS.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

November 11, 2010.

MICHAEL GOES FROM DOLE TO LIFESAVER IN WEEKS.

Video: link to Michael Collins interview.

Recession casualty Michael Collins was plucked from the dole queue after nearly nine months out of work - and within weeks was becoming a life-saver. 

Michael, 45, from Greenhithe, was made redundant after six years working in retail at Bluewater shopping centre in January 2009, but nearly two years on has made a massive career step and is now a fully-fledged ambulance technician working with several south London hospitals.

Michael is employed by Savoy Ventures Limited, which provides NHS patient transport and transfer services between south London hospitals. Savoy operates specialist patient transport vehicles, as well as a large fleet of emergency-support-standard ambulances crewed by ambulance technicians. 

“Never in a million years did I believe I’d be on the dole one day and training to become a life-saver the next,” said Michael.

“My skills straight from school were on the mechanical and engineering front, but I moved into retail, and six years in the recession really bit – and I was out of a job. 

“That was January 2009, and I applied for 20 or so jobs without success before I stumbled across an ad in the local Job Centre for patient transport drivers. 

“From there it was a whirlwind of progress. I got the job driving patients between their homes and various hospitals in south London, but I felt I was cut out for far more responsibility. So within a few weeks I was accepted for the ambulance technician training course, then the blue light driving course, and then I’m suddenly in  charge of an ambulance, and, far more significantly, responsible for the wellbeing and safety of children and premature babies transferring between hospitals under blue light conditions. 

“Savoy may be a private company which provides patients transport services to a number of hospitals, but the training, equipment and support are easily on par and possibly exceed the standards provided by many UK ambulance services engaged in similar NHS support roles."

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 200,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com